From Patent Document 1, for example, there is known to be an agricultural work management technique in which a computer system is used to manage information regarding production history and production management from production of agricultural produce to handing the produce to a consumer. With the management system according to Patent Document 1, a growth diagnostic device executes growth diagnostics in predetermined production unit plots, and the measurement diagnostic result and position information at each measurement location are stored in a memory card. The stored content is later transmitted to an agricultural work management computer system. Also, in harvesting work performed using a harvester in work unit plots therefor, the yield of the work unit plot is measured using a measurement apparatus attached to the harvester, the yield of the work unit plot in which harvesting was performed, and position information obtained using a GPS (Global Positioning System) module are stored in the memory card, and the stored content therein is transmitted to the agricultural work management computer system. Measurement is performed by, for example, emitting near-infrared beams to a growing crop in each work unit plot in a growth unit plot and analyzing the reflected light. In the case of measuring rice, for example, the measurement content is the leaf color, height, number of stems, number of ears, and the like. With this agricultural work management technique, since the position and yield are recorded at the time of harvesting work, it is possible to know the relationship between the position in the field and the yield. However, it is not possible to know the relationship between the position in the field and quality data relating to the taste of the crop, which is information that is important for the crop.
Also, from Patent Document 2, there is known to be an agricultural work device management apparatus that divides a field into plots and stores the work performed by agricultural work vehicles in units of plots. With this management apparatus, a work management terminal device that can communicate with a controller for a work vehicle includes a DVD (Digital Versatile Disc) reading apparatus that stores map data, a GPS module, and a gyrosensor, and obtains the outline of the work location from the map data. The obtained map data of the work location is divided into plots, and local information (existence of hindrances such as utility poles) is stored therein. For example, if the agricultural work vehicle is a combine, the total discharge amount of unhulled rice obtained by harvesting work is input as the yield of the entire field. Also, if the agricultural work vehicle is a tractor, tilling depth sensor detection values obtained during tilling work are automatically stored as tilling depth values for each field plot. It should be noted that in this management apparatus as well, the yield of the crop is dealt with, but quality data relating to the taste of the crop is not dealt with.
Furthermore, an agricultural work machine has also been proposed according to which information that is obtained relating to the field serving as an agricultural land, such as the temperature, amount of sunlight, amount of rainfall, agricultural crop growth information, and the like, is registered in an information center, the growth state of the agricultural crop is determined based on these pieces of information at the time of harvesting work performed by a combine, and thereby processing conditions of a cutting unit and a threshing unit are optimized (e.g., see Patent Document 3). With the technique disclosed in Patent Document 3, it is a prerequisite that the growth information and the like are acquired individually in advance and registered in the information center.
Also, from Patent Document 4, there is known to be a combine in which a detection apparatus that detects grain quality is mounted and a combine drive state that is to be employed is reported based on the result of detection performed by the detection apparatus. Specifically, the combine is configured to display an optimal threshing value based on the result of detecting the moisture content of the grain, and based on that, an operator can adjust the driving speed of a threshing cylinder and the like. Patent Document 4 does not disclose that moisture content and the like of the grain obtained during harvesting work are used after threshing work as quality data relating to taste.
From Patent Document 5, there is known to be a crop harvester in which the quality of the crop is measured by a crop quality measurement means and the measurement information is outputted by an information output means to an external device. The taste, moisture value, quality of external appearance, or the like of the crop is disclosed as the quality that is measured accompanying harvesting of the crop by the crop harvester. Measurement information relating to quality is gathered in correspondence with each of multiple different locations (fields or agricultural lands) in which harvesting work was performed, and the measurement information is outputted to an external device via wireless communication or a removable storage medium. In furtherance thereto, at the location to which the measurement information is outputted, a taste map is created based on the measurement information, in which map the average value of the taste in the field and a variety code are written for each region designated in advance and for each field identification code, but it is not disclosed that the measurement value of the taste and the like is allocated to the harvesting position in the field or the agricultural land.